Moruga Annual Review 2021

Here I would like to share our development in 2021 with you.

In 2021 we have approx.1.25 tons cocoa mass sold. That corresponds to approx.6,292 plates With151,008 squares, from which presumably100,672 cups prepared (at an average of 1.5 squares per cup). These are 276 cups a day.

Because we always lose mass (approx. 20%) when roasting and peeling the cocoa beans, we have approx.1.6 tons raw cocoa beans shopped That's 1.6 tons of cocoa beans grown in the most sustainable of all economies - agroforestry. We have with itdirectly supports the preservation of rainforest, biodiversity, soil nutrients and indigenous culture. We still don't have the resources to make a precise statement about how much CO2 was saved as a result.

In comparison: Thetwo fincas from Guatemala🇬🇹, of which we denIndian Rojo produce about 10 tons of raw cocoa beans in good harvest years.

Of course, these are still very small numbers. But we see where Moruga can go. The product idea seems to resonate with you because you have average products4.9 starsin 265 reviews given.🥳

One (two, three) new fulfillment partner(s).

Exactly one year ago I was still standing at the packing station myself every day, signing greeting cards by hand, packing packages and taking them to the post office. Sometimes I have forced my sister to help me. And then suddenly 500 packages had to be packed.

Because we didn't want to specialize in packaging logistics, but wanted to reinvent chocolate, we outsourced the entire so-called fulfillment to a professional. That's the theory.e.

However, because the first logistics partner was anything but professional and the second logistics partner was completely chaotic, the search continued in the summer. A very big one“sorry” to all customers who received the wrong products between February and September 2021 or who had to wait weeks for their order.

In September we will finally be closedAlaiko changed, our extremely reliable fulfillment partner, who has been sending the cocoa to you from Bielefeld without any problems for 4 months now. Best team ever!❤️

13/3,000 varieties

I always like to write that there are over 3,000 different types and subspecies of cocoa. In 2021 we introduced 10 new varieties and expanded our portfolio to a total of 13 varieties. So we still have a lot to do!

A personal highlight for me was thatTrinity from Papua New Guinea🇵🇬. I never would have believed that cocoa could really develop such peat/smoke aromas. The description like Scotch whiskey is not too far-fetched.. 🥃

What will happen in 2022?

Format & Packaging

What we can definitely still screw - and must - is the packaging. Or more precisely, the format of the chocolate. Thanks to the clearly defined squares, our tablets are easier to dose than, for example, a whole block or powder or small beads. As a regular Moruga consumer, you know how many squares you would like to drink and at some point you have found the perfect ratio between water and cocoa for yourself.

However, our slabs do not always break off perfectly and tend to be a bit large. I myself always have an open slate of all available varieties at home and rotate the varieties because I like them all. As a result, I usually have 3-5 open boards lying around. Of course they lose their flavor. I believe there is a better solution for this.

So in 2022 we will be working on new formats, especially over the summer months.

Availability

We are constantly sold out and rotate our varieties. It's always exciting, but sometimes it's particularly annoying when you've been looking forward to a certain strain. Why is that? That's what I have in another blog post in April explained before. What is more interesting for us now is what we do about it.

We have a partnership withoriginal beans who have not only put their own chocolate brand on the market, but also import cocoa beans on a large scale and set up new projects with cocoa farmers. The current varieties (tabasqueno from mexico, Arhuaco from Colombia ,, Virunga from DR Congo andd Rwenzori from Uganda ) we source from Original Beans, who can provide us with a constant supply. Only ther Arhuaco from Colombia🇨🇴 will be limited to fewer than 600 bars this year due to massive crop failures in the region.

We'll try to keep a house cocoa or two in stock at all times. It would offer:n:

subscription model

Anyone who has been gripped by cocoa fever likes to drink Moruga every day. A subscription would be an option and we are often asked about it.

We can implement this technically on the website in a relatively simple manner. But first we need to be able to ensure a stable supply chain. If we really can keep one or two varieties in stock at all times, then we can start offering them on a subscription basis (e.g. monthly).

Alternatively: We offer a surprise subscription with guaranteed 3 different flavors. You may already know some of them, some would be new. In any case, you will receive 3 panels at a fixed time. What do you think about it? Let us know what you think in the comments below..

New shaker design

Some of you may have already noticed: We have had a new design for our since the end of Decembercocoa shaker. The shakers now come with a real bamboo lid and no longer drip so easily when pouring. They also come in a super chic cardboard cylinder, which is perfect for gifting.